About Project C

Journalism isn't dying. It's going independent.

Project C is the research hub, community, and strategic home for journalists building sustainable, audience-driven media ventures outside traditional institutions.

The idea for Project C began while Liz Kelly Nelson was at Vox, where she saw firsthand how the news industry was evolving — sometimes too slowly — to meet changing audience behaviors.

As more people turned to independent journalists on YouTube, TikTok, Substack and other platforms for news, it became clear that the journalism industry wasn't fully embracing this shift. That realization followed her into her time as a Sulzberger Fellow at Columbia Journalism School, where she focused on the challenges and opportunities of independent journalism in the creator economy.

Journalists are increasingly going solo — whether by choice or necessity — yet the industry still lacks dedicated resources to help them build sustainable businesses. Project C was born to fill that gap.

The traditional media industry is contracting, but journalism itself isn't shrinking — it's evolving. More people than ever trust individual journalists over institutions, and independent media is proving its ability to thrive. Project C exists to support journalists in this shift, ensuring they have the business acumen, editorial rigor, and audience-building strategies to succeed.

Through a newsletter, workshops like Going Solo, original research including The Independent Journalism Atlas, and a private community of 200+ creator journalists, Project C provides the insight, resources, and connections that this new generation of journalists needs to build something lasting.

Liz Kelly Nelson, founder of Project C
Meet the Founder
Liz Kelly Nelson
Founder

Liz Kelly Nelson is a leader in journalism innovation, dedicated to helping independent journalists and media creators build sustainable careers in a rapidly evolving media landscape. With a background in newsroom leadership, digital media strategy, and creator economy expertise, Liz has worked across the journalism ecosystem — supporting reporters, advising media startups, and collaborating with major institutions on the future of independent journalism.

She developed Project C during her 2024 Sulzberger Fellowship at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, focused on empowering journalists to embrace new models, find sustainable revenue, and create impactful work outside traditional media structures. Alongside Justin Bank and Ryan Kellett, she also co-founded The Independent Journalism Atlas — a database tracking independent journalism creators across platforms, topics, and geographies.

Liz was one of The Washington Post's first bloggers and prior to Project C led teams at Vox, USA Today, Gannett, and AOL. She sits on the Board of Visitors to the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships at Stanford University and the advisory board for the Beehiiv Media Collective, and is a 2025–2026 Terker Fellow at George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs and a fellow at ASU's Knight Center for the Future of News.

Sulzberger Fellow, Columbia Terker Fellow, GW University Knight Center Fellow, ASU JSK Board, Stanford Former: Vox, USA Today, The Washington Post
A Coalition for Creator Journalism

The people shaping Project C

Project C has always been unconventional. It's not a newsroom, a nonprofit, or a traditional company. It's an ecosystem — built with people who believe creator-model journalists deserve real support.

Blair Hickman

Blair Hickman

Contributing Strategist

A former Vox exec who runs her own consultancy, Blair works with Project C on strategic projects, including the growing training and coaching practice.

Justin Bank

Justin Bank

Advisor / Thought Partner

A frequent contributor to the Project C newsletter and partner on foundational work with the Top 50 list and News Ecosystem map.

Ryan Kellett

Ryan Kellett

Advisor / Thought Partner

From the News Ecosystem Map to the Top 50, ONA board member and Harvard Nieman-Berkman Fellow Ryan is a frequent partner on Project C's most ambitious work.

Our Collaborators

Video Consortium ONA Trusting News ICFJ+ Northwestern Medill ASU Knight Center CNTI
Get in Touch

Let's work together

Research partnerships, speaking engagements, or just a conversation about the future of independent journalism — we'd love to hear from you.

Email Liz → Connect on LinkedIn

Why "Project C"? And what's with the CMYK logo?

Project C started as a true project — an experiment during Liz's Sulzberger Fellowship, where she learned the design principle of aiming for Point C, the next stage, instead of trying to leap straight to Point Z. The name also stands for Creator. The CMYK logo is a nod to newspaper roots, where CMYK registration marks ensured precision in printing by aligning the presses. That same continuity and tradition now finds a new path with independent creators shaping the future of journalism.